IB man brought back to life

Those were the words Kathy Underhill, 63, said to her husband, Mike, when he left on a Saturday afternoon to catch waves in Imperial Beach.

That evening the 41-year couple had a date.

But fate had other plans.

On Nov. 30, during a surf session with neighbors, Mike, 65, was about to catch a wave on his body board when he felt extreme pain in his chest.

Underhill has been a body boarder for about 25 years and also surfs.

“We were having a lot fun catching waves and joking around,” he said. “The last thing I remember is Joe (his friend) saying, ‘Are you all right?’ and I shook my head.”

Underhill said his buddies kept his head above water. He thought he was going to drown.

Then Underhill became unconscious after going into sudden cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating.

Lifeguards saw the distressed man and went to help.

Once Underhill was ashore, lifeguards started CPR and used an automated electronic defibrillator to shock his heart. By the time the Fire Department arrived, Underhill had a pulse and was breathing.

Kathy said she felt instant gratitude.

“It’s a reminder to tell your loved ones you love them every day and never go to bed angry,” she said.

Kathy said Mike was still on the beach when she got the gut-wrenching news from their neighbors and told him to hold on.

“In the back of the ambulance when he came to, he said, ‘I’m OK,’” said Tom Clark, public safety director and fire chief. “And one of the medics said, ‘No, you were not with us and we brought you back.’”

Lifeguard Capt. Bob Stabenow said the responders did a fantastic job.

“All the training and equipment that we have … you think you’re never going to use it, but when the time comes you need to be able to respond and act like it’s second nature,” he said. “On that day, these guards, firefighters and paramedics all did that and Mr. Underhill is here today.”

The City Council gave proclamations on Wednesday ﻿to the firefighters, lifeguards and American Medical Response personnel for their lifesaving efforts.

“It makes me tremendously proud as a former guard myself to see the best traditions of lifeguarding ... change this community, change this man’s life and his family,” said Imperial Beach Port Commissioner Dan Malcolm to responding emergency personnel.

It was the first time the Underhills were able to see everyone involved in the rescue.

“It was pretty emotional,” Mike said. “I never figured anything like this would ever happen to me. I guess nobody does.”

Mayor Jim Janney personally knows the Underhills.

“Events like this don’t happen every day, but the people of Imperial Beach are very lucky to have folks that train for things like this every day,” he said.

In addition to emergency responders, citizens Joe Bradley, Perry Payne and Galileo Galvez were recognized for their efforts.

Project Heartbeat, a partner with Imperial Beach emergency responders, made certificates for everyone involved in the rescue.

“That pin is a recognition that you saved a life,” Clark said.

Underhill is still healing from having three stents put in his heart after the incident.

Despite the ordeal, he says he has no reservations about getting back in the ocean.

“I go down to the water all the time,” he said. “Sometimes I wave to the lifeguards, sometimes I don’t. I have a whole different outlook now.”

He even received a new full-size wet suit from the owner of Surf Hut to replace the one cut off by first responders.

“I’m going back in the water, oh yeah,” he said.

Of course, the activity would first have to be approved by his doctor and wife.